Money talks in David Baddiel and Nancy Dell’Olio's debate over being rich or handsome

It's official: it’s better to be rich than good looking — according to the results of a celebrity debate between comedian David Baddiel and Nancy Dell’Olio.

Baddiel was joined by writer Kathy Lette to argue against Dell’Olio and Holby City actor Alex Macqueen at the Middle Temple event last night in aid of a charity which teaches debating skills to disadvantaged teenagers.

Proposing the motion “this house believes it is better to be rich than good-looking”, Baddiel revealed he was once voted the sixth sexiest Jewish man in Britain (behind Sir Alan Sugar), while Lette said she had learnt to be successful regardless of looks and that cosmetic surgery had left “some women literally talking out of their arses”.

Dell’Olio, a lawyer who had a long relationship with former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, said beautiful people have a positive attitude which attracts wealth to them.

While her team lost the motion, Dell’Olio succeeded in raising £4,000 for charity Debate Mate by auctioning off a date with herself.

Debate Mate was set up five years ago and has worked with 3,500 youngsters from disadvantaged backgrounds. Pupils who take part in the project see their speech and listening grades rise by two National Curriculum levels — and two boys from a Dagenham school have gone on to win scholarships to Eton after taking part.

Reece Weaver, 16, and Kelvin Anim, 17, joined the scheme at Robert Clack School of Science in Dagenham three years ago and now study at the top public school.

Debate Mate founder and chief executive Margaret McCabe said: “We can keep growing and my aim is to have a million children involved in 10 years.”

Baddiel said: “Teaching kids who aren’t posh to debate is a brilliant form of English revolution, but without violence.”

In 2012/13 the charity will work with 180 schools in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham.